Much more is needed for double-digit growth, says Modi

New Delhi: Stating that India has no shortage of capabilities, capacities and resources, and with the Indian economy having grown at a healthy rate of 7.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2017-18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a meeting of chief ministers here on Sunday that much more needs to be done to achieve double-digit GDP growth.

Speaking at the fourth meeting of the Niti Aayog’s governing council, Mr Modi said the “challenge now is to take this growth rate to double digits, for which many more steps have to be taken”.  The Prime Minister’s Office in a statement added that the world expects India to become a $5 trillion economy soon.

The PM said in the current financial year, states would receive over Rs 11 lakh crores from the Centre — a hike of about Rs 6 lakh crores from the last year of the previous government.

While the chief ministers of Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi did not attend the meeting, 23 other CMs and one lieutenant-governor were present. Keeping in view various aspects such as the resulting financial savings and consequent better utilisation of resources, Mr Modi called for a widespread debate and consultations on holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. Later, briefing reporters, Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar said the PM had suggested that there could be one uniform voters’ list for all elections to begin with.

Mr Modi also urged the CMs to “give fresh ideas” to the 15th Finance Commission for giving incentives to outcome-based allocations and expenditure correction, amid demands by some states to revisit the panel’s terms of reference.

The PM said various Union ministries have incorporated the recommendations of the sub-groups of the planning body. He asked the Niti Aayog to follow up with states on actionable points made by them within three months.

Other issues like doubling of farmers’ incomes, the development of aspirational districts, Ayushman Bharat, Mission Indradhanush, Nutrition Mission and the celebrations to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi also figured in the discussions.

Outlining several achievements, the PM said 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres were being constructed under the Ayushman Bharat programme, while about 10 crore families would be provided with health assurance worth '5 lakhs every year.

These steps, the PM said, were essential for achieving the vision of New India by 2020. The governing council, he said, was a platform which could bring about “historic change” in the development of the country.

Observing that it was imperative to tackle economic imbalances on priority, he said schemes such as Mudra Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana and Stand Up India were helping to ensure greater financial inclusion.

On the environment front, Mr Modi urged all states to use LED bulbs in their government buildings, official residences and streetlights.

Later, briefing reporters, Niti Aayog’s Rajiv Kumar said the PM had said the Centre would fulfil all the promises that were made at the time of the bifurcation of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh in “letter and spirit”.

On the government’s flagship Swachchh Bharat Mission, the PM said the cleanliness drive was being discussed around the world. In the past four years, 7.70 crore toilets have been constructed across the country.